1. FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to knives with retractable sheaths or hoods.
2. Description of Related Art
This invention provides improvements in knives with retractable hoods. This invention provides a retractable hood with improved durability, reliability, a biasing tension which is adjustable, and a hood which is transparent, stabilizes the knife against tipping, ensures a right-angle cut, and may be locked closed.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,376,887 discloses two embodiments of a package cutter having a pivoting mounted guard which covers exposed parts of the blade. The guard has two rearwardly projecting ears, one of which has an opening through which a pivot member is engaged and also has a spring which engages the pivot member and urges the guard to a blade covering position.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,730,800 discloses a safety paper box cutter having a razor blade inserted through an opening of the body where the blade is retained bearing against a body end wall. The guard member is pivoted near the end of the body and is yieldingly held in the operating position by the spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,743,523 discloses a carton opening knife with a razor blade which fits into a horizontally extending recess and is secured by a clip member having a run which contains the blade within the confines of the clip member when the clip is in repose.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,781,988 discloses a safety paper carton opening blade holder in which a blade is retained by fingers and a guard is mounted on pivot trunnions above the blade. The guard is biased in a closed position by a spring.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,531,286 discloses a carton cutting knife in which a razor blade is retained by detent means on the blade mounting extension and a blade guard is secured to the knife by a flexible attachment strip.
These prior art inventions do not provide a safety knife with the reliable, durable, adjustable, and efficient features of the present invention.